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Easter Island: Early Witnesses

George Cooke


708

ulcerations, was spoken of by them, and was attributed to walking barefoot over certain running vines usually growing among the rocks at the seaside. On reaching such places they seemed to avoid them, but nothing definite or reliable was elicited, and subsequent inquiries were overlooked in the hurry of departure.

VILLAGES AND HABITATIONS.

The villages on the island are three in number, Hanga-roa, near the bay of the same name, on the western side; Mataveri, within a mile of the former, and Vaihu, near Cape Hoe-Hoe, on the southerly coast of the island. Much the larger part of the population is gathered in the two villages first mentioned, between which the people are about equally distributed. At the first named is the church of the Catholic mission.
   About a half mile south of Mataveri, near the base of Rana Kao, and separated from it by the most distinctive valley on the island, is the residence of Mr. Brander, the first erected and by far the largest, roomiest, and most convenient; modern-built, of wood, with lofty ceilings, and porches, and shade trees growing about it. It is, however, in a sad state of repair, and the evidences of neglect and thriftlessness are apparent everywhere.
   Vaihu, which can no longer be called a village, is about 4½ miles to the eastward of Mataveri. It was at one time a Catholic mission, and the church and parsonage, still in a fair state of preservation, yet remain, together with a few outbuildings, all of which are occupied by Mr. Salmon and his employees, perhaps a dozen in all. Divine service, under the leadership of native "missionaries," is still held in one portion of the church, while the remainder is appropriated to other purposes, mainly for the storage of wool, obtained from the sheep, considerable quantities of which are shipped to Tahiti.
   The habitations of the ancient image and platform builders, the stone huts on Rana Kao, will be described in other reports.
   Until quite recently the house of the modern Rapa Nuiis were somewhat similar to those of the Fijians, being rectangular in shape, about 6 to 8 feet wide by 10 to 15 feet long, with nearly perpendicular sides, peak-roofed lengthwise, door on side, and thatched all over.
   A few years since an Oregon lumber vessel was wrecked on the island and much of her cargo, which consisted of boards, scantling, etc., was brought ashore. Of these, under suitable instruction, the natives built themselves houses, and nearly all are now domiciled in comparatively modern style habitations and far more comfortably than formerly. These houses, which after all have a very forlorn look, are from 15 to 20 or more feet long by from 10 to 15 feet wide. The weatherboards are neatly fitted to the frame of scantling, and they are covered with a board roof. There are usually two doors hinged opposite each other on the long sides of the house, and a small window or two close by the entrances, and sometimes glazed, admit a feeble light when the doors are closed.

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